Faculty Collaboration Database

Accidental acute alcohol intoxication in infants: review and case report. J Emerg Med 2014 Nov;47(5):524-6

Date

09/14/2014

Pubmed ID

25216537

DOI

10.1016/j.jemermed.2014.06.032

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84908291434 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   15 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acute alcohol intoxication in children younger than 18 months old is both rarely documented and rarely fatal. Previous case reports suggest hypoglycemia and faster than normal rates of alcohol elimination found in children with acute alcohol intoxication compared with adults, but data are lacking.

CASE REPORT: A 2-month-old infant presented with a decreased mental status after accidental ingestion of alcohol. He was diagnosed with acute alcohol intoxication, with a blood alcohol level of 330 mg/dL and was hyperglycemic (167 mg/dL). Alcohol elimination rate was calculated to be 21.6 mg/dL/h, similar to that in adults. To our knowledge, this case is the second youngest documented patient with accidental alcohol intoxication via ingestion in the United States. We present a rare case report of acute alcohol intoxication in an infant and a review of the literature. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Although rare in the literature, poison control data suggests that alcohol poisoning in very young children is not rare. Emergency physicians should be prepared for the management of infants with alcohol poisoning. This case report and review brings attention to this subject and briefly discusses ethanol metabolism in infants.

Author List

Minera G, Robinson E

Author

Evan Robinson DO Assistant Professor in the Emergency Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Alcoholic Intoxication
Emergency Service, Hospital
Ethanol
Fluid Therapy
Humans
Hyperglycemia
Infant
Male
Rare Diseases